A World Away: Part II
by FosterLove
Summary: Nine years after Ali's adoption, the Adams Foster kids find themselves navigating adolescence. Ali's life finally seems simple until new and old faces begin to reappear, turning her life upside down once again.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"What made us think we could survive four teenagers?" Stef sighs heavily as she slumps down on her bed and pulls the covers over her legs.

Lena shakes her head and laughs slightly as she joins her wife in bed, "They're not that bad. They're just trying to test us now that they're a bit more independent."

"Well, if I have to warn any of them again for attitude, they won't have any independence. Or a car for that matter!" Stef rolls onto her side, eyes closed, still unable to believe that their two eldest now had learners permits. Opening her eyes, she gazes down to her wife, watching as the corners of her lips slowly begin to curl. "What's so funny?" she asks.

"You're cute when you get annoyed." Lena whispers, glancing up to Stef who puts on a mock look of disgust. "Hey, come here." Lena reaches out her arm and motions for Stef to move closer.

Stef readily accepts, exhausted from the day's events and falls into her wife's warm embrace. As she begins to relax Lena breaks the comfortable silence.

"Do you remember how tiny they were?" Lena whispers, rubbing circles onto Stef's back.

"The kids?" Stef looks up to Lena who nods, "They're bigger now but they're still our babies."

"We're so lucky, Stef. I never want to forget that," Lena mumbles into Stef's hair as she kisses the top of her head softly.

"I know love," Stef replies, hugging Lena a bit tighter. "I can't believe it's been eight years since Ali's adoption."

"I thought it would never happen." Lena sighs, "But it did." Her voice trails off into silence. Stef lies motionless for a while until Lena's breathing becomes deep and even. Certain that her wife is now asleep Stef allows herself to relax further and finally closes her eyes.

* * *

The Adams Foster family begin to stir as the morning sun peeks through into the house. Lena and Stef quietly make their way downstairs to begin making Ali's favorite breakfast of blueberry pancakes for her seventeenth birthday. However, when both women reach the top of the stairs they find Ali sitting at the kitchen table, head in her hands.

Stef, knowing that Lena wants everything to go perfectly today, wraps an arm around Lena's waist and pulls her wife close to her. Lena looks across to Stef and smiles sadly before they make their way over to their daughter.

"Morning baby," Lena whispers, careful not to startle Ali, "Is everything alright?"

Ali silently lowers her hands to the table and watches as Lena takes a seat beside her, while Stef joins them on Ali's other side. Lena takes Ali's hand in her own and rubs it softly, letting Ali take her time.

"I always thought that, after a while, this day would get easier," Ali whispers, looking back down to the table and staring intently at a scratch in the wood.

"Oh my love," Stef sighs sadly, taking Ali's free hand, "It will, I promise."

"You always say that but when? It's been eight years since they died and I miss them more every day." Ali speaks a little louder now, letting her emotions take over.

Both women are taken aback by their daughter's reply. For the past few months, Ali hasn't uttered a word about her family. They'd had a feeling that today would be difficult for her but to hear that she's been suffering alone breaks her moms' hearts.

Stef pulls Ali into her side, hugging her tightly. Lena can only watch as she and Stef struggle to contain their emotions, their eyes beginning to glisten.

"You know that you can always come to us about anything, don't you?" Stef pulls back and wipes a few stray tears from Ali's cheeks.

Ali nods, "I know. You tell me all the time." She smiles slightly, thankful that her moms are always there for her.

"And we mean it." Lena finally speaks as she reaches over and moves a few loose strands of hair out of Ali's eyes, "You're special Ali. You've three moms and a dad."

"And Sophie," Stef adds, "They all matter just as much to us as you and the other kids do."

"Really?" Ali whispers, slightly puzzled.

"Of course, honey. Anything that makes you sad or happy is important to us," Stef replies.

"Now, do you still want those pancakes?" Lena asks after a few moments of silence.

Ali nods and a smile begins to form, "Of course!" she replies eagerly making her moms laugh.

"Well, go upstairs and wake up the others while I help mama." Stef smiles as she chases Ali out of the kitchen.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, all six Adams Fosters are around the kitchen table. Lena and Stef sit back and watch as their four kids fight over the last of the blueberry pancakes.

"Aw come on!" Jesus raises his arms in the air in frustration as Ali grabs the last one before he can.

"Beaten by a girl!" Mariana laughs before taking some more strips of bacon.

"Now, no fighting today." Stef steps in before things get out of hand, "Ali honey, could you share that with Jesus please?"

"Sure mom," Ali replies without protest, cutting her pancake in half and offering it to Jesus.

"No, it's alright, you can have it," Jesus gently pushes the plate back towards Ali, "What?" Jesus is suddenly aware that all eyes are on him.

"I've never seen you refuse food," Mariana gasps, mocking her brother.

"Well, it's Ali's birthday." Jesus whispers, feeling his cheeks redden.

Stef looks down to her watch and shakes her head, maybe someday we'll be able to open presents before school she thinks.

"Right, we're all going to be late if we don't leave right now." Stef rushes to finish her coffee before ushering the kids out of the kitchen. Lena keeps Jesus back.

"That was very sweet, honey," Lena speaks quietly, not wanting to embarrass her son anymore. She leans down and kisses the top of his head.

"It was nothing." Jesus mumbles, glancing up to Lena, "I know you guys want this day to go smoothly."

Lena takes a second to look at the kind young man her son is growing into. He'd spent the first four years of his life looking after Mariana and now it's become second nature to him.

"Jesus, you don't have to worry about that. That's me and your mom's problem, okay?" Lena sighs, knowing that he'll worry anyway.

* * *

That afternoon, Ali and Mariana make their way to tenth grade Algebra II with Mr. Garrett, a tall, slender man who was sadly losing his hair at a faster rate than he'd like. As the two girls wait outside in the corridor Mariana turns to Ali.

"Are you alright?" She whispers to her sister, pulling her away from the class.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Ali quickly replies, not wanting anyone to overhear.

"I heard you go downstairs this morning. It was at least an hour until moms came down and found you." Mariana sighs sadly, knowing that Ali is holding something back.

"I just…wanted some time alone, you know? I needed some time to think." Ali whispers, looking down at her white sneakers, noticing the layer of dirt that is beginning to form over them.

"To think about what?" Mariana asks but before Ali can reply Mr. Garrett's voice can be heard calling them into class.

* * *

At the same time, Lena walks back into her office after finishing lunch duty, feeling particularly proud of her pile of confiscated items sitting on the edge of her desk.

"A new record maybe," Lena announces to the empty room, before settling down into her armchair. Just as she leans forward to grab a pen, her phone rings. Looking at the caller ID, she smiles.

"Hey honey." Lena answers the call.

"Hey, love," Stef replies, noticing her wife's happy tone instead of the usual mid-afternoon slump. "Have you seen Ali today?"

"Just this morning, why?" Lena replies, beginning to sort through the latest pile of papers on her desk.

"I wanted to make sure she's alright. She was different this morning, that's all." Stef sighs as she stretches in her chair. "Do you think she'll still want to go to the graveyard?"

Visiting her family's grave had become a tradition for Ali to do on her birthday, to have a quiet chat with them and her moms without the interruptions of their normal lives.

"I'm not sure, Stef. This morning was the first time in ages she's even acknowledged them." Lena closes her eyes for a brief moment, wondering how Ali is feeling, "I'll call her into my office after class."

"Thanks love." Stef replies before hanging up.

* * *

Ali knocks the door softly and waits until she hears Lena's voice call her in. Slowly, she opens the door and makes her way over to the sofa to join her mom.

"Mr. Garrett said you wanted to see me?" Ali asks worry etched across her face. "Have I done something wrong?" She whispers.

"No baby," Lena quickly responds, "Your mom and I were wondering if you still want to go see your family today." Lena wraps her arm around Ali and pulls her close. When Ali doesn't answer she continues, "You don't have to. We'll never make you do something you don't want to do."

Ali looks up to Lena, "What if I don't know what to say anymore? I haven't been in ages and…what if they're angry at me?" Immediately Ali begins to pull away from Lena, embarrassed by what she's just said.

Dead people can't get mad, she thinks as she begins to play with a loose thread of the sofa.

Lena knowing her daughter well doesn't let Ali distance herself too much. She looks down and sees the little girl with big green eyes that they took in five years ago now sitting beside her.

"Oh love, come here." Lena stretches out both arms. Ali accepts the invitation and falls into Lena's warm embrace faster than normal, worrying Lena. After a few moments, Lena breaks the silence.

"We love you so much." She whispers into Ali's hair as Ali's breathing becomes shaky. "How about we go home and you can decide what you want to do?"

Ali nods, not moving away from Lena's comforting smell. She'd always loved how calming Lena could be. It was something she had noticed the moment that she joined the Adams Fosters.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The following day, Ali is waiting for Miss Porter to mark her test. The creak of a floorboard brings Ali out of her daydream to find Miss Porter sliding her English workbook across to her.

"Well done, Ali." She smiles, her round cheeks causing her eyes to squint slightly, "I'm seeing some improvement here since last time."

"Thanks, Miss," Ali mumbles, always a bit too hard on herself. The disappointment of her B- is evident to Miss Porter who pulls up a chair beside her in the empty classroom.

"Come on, dear." She whispers, her smile wavering, "We've had this chat after every test for the last seven years."

Ali nods silently, not really listening, remembering the day they found out she was dyslexic, brought on by the head trauma. Once a week since fourth grade Ali finds herself back in Miss Porter's classroom for extra tutoring.

Miss Porter notices Ali's unusual distancing, "Ali is something on your mind?" she asks.

"I went to see my family yesterday." Ali quietly responds, not lifting her head from the table.

At first, Miss Porter is confused but then it hits her, she went to their graves, she thinks.

"And what did you do?" Miss Porter looks down to Ali, still short for her age, her thick brown hair neatly tied back in a ponytail.

"I talked for a while, updated them on my life, how I feel," Ali mumbled into the desk.

Miss Porter can only imagine what thoughts must be going through Ali's mind right now, no wonder she's so distracted, she thinks before wishing Ali good luck for her soccer match today and ending the lesson.

* * *

The scorching sun beats down on Anchor Beach as Stef, dressed in her cop uniform, joins Lena at the side of the soccer field. Wrapping her arm around her wife's waist and planting a kiss on the side of her head, Stef smiles as she looks around the cheering crowd. She is met with a sea of banners and smiling kids from both teams, all eager for the semi-final to begin.

"Come on Ali!" Lena screams at the top of her lungs as the whistle signals the start of the match, causing Stef to jump slightly.

Stef laughs at her wife's excitement, clearly forgetting that she's the vice-principal in her moment of pride.

"Love, you don't need to be so loud." Stef speaks into her ear, the crowd beginning to pick up the volume as Ali passes the ball into the box but is tripped up, "Hey you can't do that!" Stef yells, moving forward slightly.

"Who is yelling now?" Lena laughs at Stef's look of disgust before they both turn to see Ali getting up and beginning to run back down the wing.

With one minute left on the clock, the score is 1-0 to the opposing team. Ali runs up the left side and yells for the pass, everyone knowing she's their best shot. However, just as Ali makes her way up to the box something catches her eye. Just behind the goals is the most beautiful person Ali has ever seen.

Ali, now aware of two defenders approaching, goes to shoot and…misses. The final whistle blows. They've lost the match.

I lost the match, Ali thinks, allowing her head to drop into her hands.

* * *

After politely congratulating the winning team, Ali wants nothing more than to simply go home. However, they have a post-match team meeting to get through first.

"Now girls we put in a strong effort today. We had some good chances," Coach Masters pauses, glancing over to Ali, "but sadly it wasn't enough."

Ali can feel her teammates looking at her but she refuses to look up. Instead, she studies the tiled floor of their locker room, trying to block out and listen to the coach at the same time.

After the meeting, Ali is the first to reach the locker room door but is stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she finds Jess smiling down to her.

"You know he wasn't just talking about you." Jess whispers, pulling Ali aside.

"Who else could he be talking about? I didn't see anyone else miss the goal." Ali snaps, still annoyed by herself, "Sorry."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. While you were trying to score, even if unsuccessfully, Maddie was flailing about. She couldn't even get rid of the defender, let alone get a foot to the ball." Jess laughs and watches as a small smile forms on Ali's face.

"I thought she looked angrier than normal." Ali whispers, glancing over her shoulder to watch as Maddie storms out of the coach's office and into the car park.

"Looks like you're not the only one coach is mad at after all." Jess mumbles, in a sing-song way as her and Ali dander out of the locker room to find their parents.

* * *

That evening, Ali walks back into the kitchen after putting the trash out to hear her name being called from the front room. Sighing, Ali walks through to find her moms sitting alone. Lena pats the space between her and Stef, motioning for Ali to join them.

"Have I done something wrong?" Ali asks as she sits down between her moms, trying to think back through the week.

"No love," Stef leans in and places a hand on Ali's knee, "The past few days have been a bit stressful and me and mama just wanted to check in."

"Well, I'm fine," Ali bluntly replies but instantly feels bad for shutting them out. Stef looks over to Lena for some backup.

"Honey, it's okay to be upset about today." Lena whispers, gently rubbing Ali's back.

"I'm not," Ali mutters, "not really. I just got distracted that's all."

"What distracted you, love?" Stef asks

"I don't know," Ali lies, glancing down to the floor.

The glance is noticed by both women. Over the past few years, they've realised that it's Ali's tell for when she's lying but for now they let it go.

She'll talk when she's ready, Lena thinks, placing a few stray hairs behind Ali's ear.

"Alright then, have you finished your homework?" Lena asks causing Ali to shake her head, "Then up you go." Lena watches quietly as Ali leaves, heading for her bedroom. Once Ali is out of earshot, Stef turns to Lena.

"You don't think it's her brain injury again, do you?" Stef whispers, knowing they have four nosy kids in the house.

"I'm not sure," Lena whispers back, wrapping her arms around Stef as they both fall back into the couch.

"But if Miss Porter's noticed a change in her…" Stef's voice trails off, remembering the years of hard work they had put in to get Ali to where she is today and now something might unravel all that.

"If it doesn't improve soon then we'll see the doctor. Honey, there's no point worrying about what ifs." Lena mumbles as Stef relaxes slightly more into her embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The following day Lena eventually drags herself from beneath her warm duvet and shuffles into the bathroom, laughing as she hears her four kids protesting Stef's wake up call.

When Lena walks back in from her shower she smirks as she watches Stef pull out her cop uniform while wearing only her underwear.

"Love, have you seen one of my bras?" Stef turns and catches Lena staring, "Did no one ever tell you it's rude to stare?" Stef speaks in a low tone as she walks over to Lena and kisses her soft lips.

Lena silently shakes her head as she deepens the kiss but is surprised when Stef begins to pull away. Trying to stop her wife's escape, Lena goes to wrap her arms around Stef's waist but she's too slow.

"I'm already running late," Stef begins to explain as she continues to search for her bra, "sorry love." She adds, looking up to Lena, still standing at the bathroom door, "We can continue this later." Stef winks, moving back to Lena, "everyone's out tonight, remember." She whispers causing Lena to smile.

"There's one under that towel," Lena points out as she starts getting dressed.

"Ah see, where would I be without you!" Stef picks up her bra, holding it in the air triumphantly.

* * *

When Stef finally makes her way downstairs she finds all four kids swarming around the kitchen table, grabbing toast, cereal, and juice as if there's no tomorrow.

"Hey, calm down where's the fire?" Stef laughs, as she accepts the cup of coffee from Lena before sitting down.

"Mama said we have to walk to school," Brandon answers between mouthfuls of toast. Stef, obviously confused, turns to Lena.

"I just got a reminder on my phone. I've got a new family meeting me at half 9." Lena explains as she takes a seat beside Stef, "Oh, while I remember, Mariana can you meet me at reception after first period?"

"Why?" Mariana looks up to Lena.

"You're on the welcome committee for 10th grade." Lena shakes her head at Mariana's blank expression.

"Oh, so they're my age!" Mariana smiles at the thought of a possible new friend.

"Actually no she's 17 so the same age as Ali." Lena glances over to her daughter relieved that she's acting like her usual self today.

* * *

"Hi, Mrs. Beckett?" Lena cautiously stretches out her hand as a tall, slender woman moves towards her, her curly blonde hair camouflaging with her pale skin.

"Yes, I'm so sorry we're late." Mrs. Beckett shakes Lena's hand before softly placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder, "And please call me Jennifer."

"Oh, course and there's no need to apologize," Lena smiles and looks over to the girl, "And you must be Rachel. It's lovely to meet you."

Rachel smiles shyly before feeling her mom squeeze her shoulder. Instinctively, Rachel reaches out her hand and allows Lena to shake it.

"I wish my own kids were this polite," Lena jokes, trying to break some of the tension.

"You've kids?" Jennifer asks, thankful for the distraction, her own nerves surfacing.

"Four," Lena glances over her shoulder as she hears footsteps approaching them, "Here's one now."

Mariana walks over to her mom's side, instantly noticing the beads of sweat on the new girl's pale forehead.

"Rachel, this is my daughter Mariana. Mariana, this is Rachel. She's going to be in some of your classes." Lena introduces the girls to one another before turning back to Jennifer, "How would you feel about Mariana showing Rachel around for a bit? I can answer any questions you have in my office."

Jennifer agrees, gives her daughter's shoulder a comforting squeeze and watches as Mariana leads Rachel away.

* * *

"So, Jennifer, I have to be honest and say that I've not had time to do my usual background reading on Rachel. It was a quick enrollment; am I correct?" Lena makes her way over to the filing cabinet whilst directing Jennifer to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. After grabbing a new student file, she too sits down.

"Yes, we've just moved from the Netherlands." Jennifer begins to explain, "The pale skin and sweating are a dead giveaway. We're still adjusting to the heat." She laughs quietly, causing Lena to smile.

"So why the move back to the states?" Lena enquires, finally finding the last form she needs.

"My husband passed away last month." Jennifer quietly answers, looking down and playing with her wedding ring.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Lena puts down the collection of forms on her desk and looks across to Jennifer.

"It's fine. Life goes on I suppose." Jennifer glances up to Lena as her voice trails off, "He was in the army. We've followed him around the world for the last ten years."

"Woah, I mean…" Lena stumbles, trying to find the right words.

"Honestly, it's okay. Don't worry. We had the time of our lives. It's just going to take some readjusting to being on American soil again, without Philip."

"So what was your last school like?" Mariana asks as both girls sit down at a picnic table, looking out to the empty beach in front of them.

"It was on my dad's military base in the Netherlands," Rachel smiles sadly, not wanting to spill all her secrets just yet.

"I bet it was really cool." Mariana leans down, takes her class schedule out and slides it across to Rachel.

"After the first few the magic wears off." Rachel picks up the paper and scans down the classes, "There were only 2 of us in 11th grade and my credits wouldn't transfer. So now I'm back in 10th grade."

"Don't worry, you're not the only 17-year-old," Mariana mumbles as she places the schedule back in her school bag.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asks, glad to not be the only re-sitter.

"My sister Ali had to resit 3rd grade. She'll probably be in some of your classes too." Mariana glances at her watch, a daily reminder of her moms' resistance to buy her a phone, "We should get back. I've got to get to class."

* * *

The bell sounds out across Anchor Beach, announcing the end of the 3rd period, as Lena finishes the official guided tour for Jennifer and Rachel.

"And just over there you'll find the soccer pitch," Lena points to her left causing both visitors to turn in that direction.

"That was quite the match yesterday." Jennifer smiles happily, knowing her daughter is going to enjoy herself here.

"You were here?" Lena asks, slightly panicked, wondering if she's missed a meeting with them.

"Don't worry, we were just taking a stroll along the beach and heard all the commotion," Jennifer explains, noticing the panic in Lena's voice.

"Oh, well we love our sports here at Anchor Beach in addition to our strong academic abilities." Lena automatically blurts out the vice-principal line without having to think.

"It was clearly a disappointing loss." Jennifer continues, noting Lena's enthusiasm, "The striker at the end was so close."

"That was Ali," Lena informs them, her pride causing her to stand a little taller.

Ali turns the corner to hear Lena say her name. She pauses, the rest of her body hidden behind a think concrete column, and pokes her head out to see her mom talking to two others, their backs to Ali.

Just as Ali begins to pull back the one who Ali assumes is the new girl turns around. Ali freezes as her eyes lock onto this new face; only it's not a new face. She's seen it before, at the soccer game.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The following morning Ali and Mariana make the now familiar journey to school, Ali's head still in a daze about what - or who - she saw yesterday.

"Ali are even listening?" Mariana sighs dramatically, tugging at Ali's hoodie sleeve. Ali shakes her head slightly and glances to her left to find a slightly annoyed Mariana staring back.

"Sorry. My head was in the clouds." Ali laughs, the phrase had almost become her catchphrase over the last few years; a subtle way to let others know how her head was doing.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mariana whispers slightly as Anchor Beach comes into view, "I heard moms talking to you the other day."

"I'm fine, honestly." Ali smiles slightly, her head still heavy, "It's just…" She pauses, hoping that Mariana will interrupt her but of course she doesn't, "We're nearly at the ten-year mark. I thought it would be better, easier by now, you now?"

Mariana pulls Ali into a hug not caring that her sister wasn't a big fan of them.

"I do understand, Ali." Mariana whispers as she pulls away, "My birth mom hasn't shown her face once in at least ten years. I know it's different but…"

"Mine have a pretty good excuse," Ali laughs slightly, always one to turn to humour in uncomfortable situations.

"Exactly. Mine certainly doesn't." Mariana nods her head firmly before moving slowly towards the school doors.

* * *

Ali quietly leaves Miss Porter's classroom and walks out into a completely deserted corridor. Miss Porter always let her leave ten minutes early to have some time alone, for some reason her tutoring periods always left Ali exhausted, unlike any other class she's been in.

Giving herself a gentle shake, she pauses to look into her next classroom - Biology - and finds that it too is empty. Ali tiptoes into the lab and places her bag down onto the table before resting her head down on it. However, before Ali can even close her eyes she hears the door handle turn.

Ali bolts upright, not wanting a teacher to think she's sick again and tell Lena. Only it's not a teacher but a pupil.

"Sorry is this 10th-grade biology?" A quiet voice asks, a small nervous smile forming on thin lips.

"Yes," Ali answers, returning the smile while she pulls out her textbook and notepad from her bag.

"Thanks, I thought I'd get lost," The girl laughs nervously, her flushed cheeks showing through her pale skin, "It's my first day. I'm Rachel by the way." She adds, stepping towards the front bench Ali is sitting at.

"I'm Ali. I remember being new here. It can be rough but once you settle in you'll be fine." Ali speaks confidently, laughing internally at herself, _My rough and her rough are two completely different things_ , she thinks.

"I hope so." Rachel wrings her hands nervously, "Is there a seating plan? Should I wait for the teacher?"

"Actually, the only spare stool is beside me." Ali lifts her bag from the seat and tosses it onto the floor.

"Are you sure?" Rachel's smile grows as she walks around the bench to Ali's side.

"Well, if you don't sit there then you'll be on the floor for the rest of the year." Ali jokes shifting her books over to her own side before beginning to dig around the bottom of her bag for a pen.

Rachel laughs as she sits down. She pulls out a large notebook just as the bell for 5th - and last - period rings and the door swings open.

* * *

Ali begins to dry off the glass beakers in front of her as Rachel quickly fills in the answer sheet for today's practical beside her.

"Hey, what's the rush?" Ali asks, glancing down at the scrawled and almost illegible handwriting.

"I've got to get to soccer try-outs. I've no clue where they are and I really don't want to be late." Rachel explains as she stuffs the page into her binder.

"I can show you if you want. I'm going there too." Ali places the last beaker into its cupboard and closes the door before turning to face Rachel.

"I didn't know current players had to try-out," Rachel whispers and then immediately regrets it, her cheeks becoming flush again.

"It's Coach Masters' way of keeping us on our toes." Ali politely ignores the new girl's clear embarrassment.

"Right," Rachel mumbles as she slowly follows Ali out of the lab and into the busy corridor.

* * *

With all the bustling in the kitchen that evening, no one heard Stef's car pull into the driveway or the front door closing behind her as she made her way into the kitchen, glad to see her happy - even if slightly dysfunctional - family after the day she'd had.

"Hi honey," Lena smiles widely, moving towards her wife and hugging her gently, "How was work?"

Stef's lips part but no words come out, slightly shocked by Lena's sudden and unusual interest in her job. How do you know? she thinks, raising a single eyebrow.

Lena smiles nervously, ignoring Stef's confusion and goes back to the table. Without another word, she begins to pass full plates around to everyone.

"So Ali how were try-outs?" Lena asks, wanting to divert attention away from herself.

"I made the team." Ali modestly announces.

"That's amazing! We're so proud of you." Stef places a hand gently on Ali's shoulder as she passes, still making her way to her seat.

"I'll be playing striker again." Ali continues, glad to finally have some good news to tell, "I was a bit surprised that Rachel tried out on her first day."

"Rachel? As in the new girl?" Mariana quizzes.

"Yea, she got a defending position for this season," Ali smiles slightly.

"I hear that's not the only news." Jesus pipes up, "Rumour has it that Maddie is off the team." Ali's smile widens into a smug grin. "I knew it!" Jesus almost yells.

"Hey turn the volume down." Stef darts her eyes to Jesus who quickly settles himself.

"I'm glad she's off the team. I never liked her." As Mariana speaks her hand waves dramatically in the air.

"That's not very nice," Lena mutters her, although she's all too aware of Maddie Richmond's record.

"She's made Ali's life a living hell since she joined Anchor Beach. Some people get what's coming to them." Mariana glances over to see Ali's shocked expression and gives her a small wink.

* * *

As all four teenagers make their way upstairs to start on their homework, Lena walks back into the kitchen to find Stef leaning against the sink, staring out into the garden.

Lena quietly moves over and wraps her arms around Stef's waist from behind, resting her head on Stef's shoulder. She feels Stef tense in her arms.

"I know," Lena whispers, barely audible so that only Stef can hear her. She feels Stef's chest expand as she finally takes a deep breath and allows herself to relax slightly.

"How?" Stef whispers back, allowing their hands to intertwine.

"Mike called before you got home. He said that you'd need to talk to me." Lena moves Stef's hair away from her neck and kisses the soft skin.

Stef turns around, still in Lena's arms, to face her wife. Gazing into her eyes she finally lets her walls crumble. Tears begin to escape down her cheeks as she nestles her head into Lena's chest.

Lena quickly wraps her arms tighter around Stef, "Shhh my love. It's okay. She can't hurt us now. Rose can't touch Ali."

Stef nods before pulling back from Lena, allowing Lena to wipe away her tears before beginning to explain the day's events.

Stef and Mike had responded to an antisocial behaviour complaint. When they arrived they found Rose staggering through the street with an empty wine bottle in one hand and a half-full vodka bottle in the other, yelling angrily at anyone who dared look at her.

"I froze, Lena." Stef whispers, shaking her head, "All I could do was white knuckle the steering wheel and stay in the car. I'd have killed her if I'd got my hands on her."

"So what happened?" Lena prompts her wife, whilst gently rubbing her back.

"Mike got her into the car and we took her to the station. You should've seen how she reacted when she saw it was me driving." Stef's head dropped, embarrassed, "Turns out that's the fifth complaint this month."

"Come on, let's go to bed early. You look like you need it." Lena finally breaks the silence after a few minutes. She leads Stef upstairs, neither leaving the other's side for the rest of the evening.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As January moved into February, the Adams Foster household ran like clockwork. Everyone busy in their own lives, especially Brandon who'd been up late every night practising for his senior performance piece next month.

"Brandon love, please use your headphones after dinner from now on, okay?" Stef almost pleads with her eldest as she rubs her tired eyes.

"Sorry, mom. I just get caught up. I didn't realise how late it was, I swear." Brandon apologises over breakfast, glancing around to notice that everyone looks more tired than usual.

"I get it B, I do, but my sleep schedule doesn't so less of the late night sessions." Lena smiles down to her son as she hands him his breakfast, placing a hand softly on his shoulder as she walks around him.

"So what's on the cards for today?" Stef enquires, taking a long drawn out sip of her much-needed coffee.

"Well, I've dance practice." Mariana sits up straighter, a small grin forming, "You know we're looking for some new dancers."

Ali almost chokes on her toast as Mariana turns to her, "I score goals. I don't dance."

"You do kind of when you score a goal." Jesus points out much to Ali's dismay and Mariana's delight.

"That's different. It's not planned. And I definitely wouldn't wear those costumes." Ali jokes but sees Mariana's smile vanish, "Sorry it's just not my thing."

"I've wrestling after school so I'll just walk home." Jesus adds, "Though don't you have that party tonight?" He asks Ali.

"Party?" Stef suspiciously eyes Ali, "You haven't mentioned anything."

"I didn't?" Ali tries to keep her voice in one octave but fails miserably.

"Come on, out with the details." Stef places her mug down onto the table, giving Ali her full attention.

"It's just with the soccer team. Coach says it's to help the new members gel with the old folk." Ali characteristically jokes but Stef doesn't laugh, "It's more of a dinner really."

"Sounds like some much-needed fun to me." Lena adds her own two cents, smiling over to Ali, "Come on Stef don't be such a spoil-sport." She playfully taps the top of Stef's arm causing her wife to finally smile.

* * *

Just as the sun is beginning to set, the doorbell rings. Ali half jogs downstairs to get the door.

"Don't run!" Stef half yells from the front room, "How many times?" Stef shakes her head and laughs before leaning forward to pick up her glass of wine, "Nine years I've yelled that to her."

"Some things can't be taught." Lena whispers, leaning over to kiss Stef's cheek.

"Says the educator." Stef's mock look of shock cracks the minute she locks eyes with her wife.

Both women fall silent as they eavesdrop.

"Hi, I've just got to grab my shoes. Do you want to come in?" Ali asks politely, "Or I suppose I could leave you out in the cold."

"Cold? Ali, it's 63 degrees! You don't know what cold is." A voice outside replied.

"I take it that's Ali's lift?" Stef asks, standing up.

"Yea, Rachel." Lena mumbles also getting to her feet.

By the time Rachel steps inside Lena and Stef are standing in the doorway of the living room. Rachel smiles shyly to both of them, feeling a bit odd being in the vice principal's house.

"Hi Rachel, it's nice to meet you." Stef is the first to step forward. "I'm Stef and I take it you know Lena."

Rachel nods before turning to watch Ali run upstairs, "Yea I do. You've such a lovely home." Rachel turns back around to the two women in front of her.

"Thanks." Lena smiles, placing a hand softly in the small of Stef's back. "We've got dishes to finish." She informs Stef.

Stef gets the hint and turns towards the kitchen, "You may as well have a seat. I bet you Ali doesn't know where those shoes are!" Stef jokes as Lena leads her into the kitchen.

Just as Stef had predicted, it took Ali another ten minutes of hunting to find her sneakers.

"Hey, ready to go?" Ali happily jogs downstairs, pausing in the doorway.

"I think I should be asking you that!" Rachel stands up from the sofa, "Were you making those shoes?" She points to Ali's feet, causing both of them to look down, "Quite nice by the way." She adds as they make their way out of the house.

"Thanks." Ali feels herself blush slightly, grateful that it's dark now.

* * *

The soccer dinner went off without a hitch, everyone was gelling well and having a good laugh, mostly at Coach Master's expense. Unknown to Ali when she'd booked the restaurant, tonight was dance night and half the tables have been cleared to create a make-shift dance floor.

With the music blaring and the floor crammed with bodies, Ali now finds herself watching her teammates dancing to their hearts' content, not being much of a dancer herself.

A gentle touch brings her out of her trance, causing Ali to look around. She finds Rachel swaying her hips to the beat, looking back at her. Ali watches as Rachel stretches out her hand.

"Want to dance?" Rachel asks, leaning in so she doesn't have to yell.

Ali pauses for a moment and then takes Rachel's hand and allows herself to be slowly lead into the middle of the dance floor. For the rest of the night, that's where they stay, long after their teammates have left to go home.

As closing hour draws nearer, the restaurant slowly empties out. Ali and Rachel take it as their cue to leave and finally make their way back to Rachel's car.

* * *

"Isn't it weird being the vice principal's daughter?" Rachel quietly asks as Ali closes the front passenger door.

"That's not what people usually ask." Ali jokes, playing nervously with a woven bracelet Mariana had made her years ago, "And no not really. It actually helped a lot when I first moved here."

"Wait, what do they ask you?" Rachel backtracks, knowing Ali's trying to change the subject.

"Isn't it strange that you have two moms." Ali whispers, still looking at the floor, "But there's nothing strange about it. They're my family."

"That's disgusting." Rachel reaches out at places a hand on Ali's shoulder, "The question, not about having two moms!" She quickly adds causing both of them to laugh.

"Did you always live with them?" Rachel asks. Although they'd talked about Rachel's dad dying, they hadn't talked about Ali's life before the Adams Fosters.

Ali shakes her head, "No, they fostered me when I was 8 and adopted me when I was 9."

"Where'd you live before that? Was it in a group home?" Rachel asks as she watches the car beside them leave.

"No, I lived with my mom and dad and my sister Sophie." Ali lets go of the bracelet and wipes the palms of her hands on her jeans, "There was a house fire. I was the only survivor." She whispers, glancing up to Rachel.

"Oh Ali, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Rachel takes Ali's left hand in hers for the second time that night and again it makes Ali's heart weirdly skip a beat.

"How were you meant to know, silly." Ali smiles sadly, "See those slight ridges on the palm of my hand?"

Rachel glances down to the hand she's holding and rubs her thumb gently over Ali's skin. She nods.

"I burnt it when I tried to open my bedroom door." Ali explains, causing Rachel to gasp, "But the fire was already in the hall and the metal was red-hot."

"So how did you get out?" Rachel whispers, barely audible, not letting her gaze leave Ali's face now that she's finally looking at her.

"I jumped out the window. It was only one storey." Ali's voice catches in the back of her throat. She'd never explained that night to anyone except her moms when she could finally put the pieces together after her adoption.

"How old was your sister, Sophie?" Rachel leans in slightly.

"Six." This single word pushes Ali over the edge as tears that had been threatening to escape suddenly start to cascade down her cheeks.

Rachel, glad that they both didn't have their seatbelts on yet, wraps her arms tightly around Ali. Ali rests her forehead on Rachel's shoulder, quiet sobs escaping against her will.

"Oh, Ali," Rachel mumbles into Ali's hair before kissing the side of her head. Ali feels the kiss too though neither pulls away - Rachel wanting to comfort Ali and Ali needing Rachel.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ali couldn't get the events of Friday night out of her head the entire weekend. For the first time in her life, she was actually thankful that her moms thought it was her head again.

 _This way I don't have to explain_ , Ali thinks turning onto her back in bed, her bare legs shuffling under the duvet.

A knock on her bedroom door pulls her from her thoughts abruptly as Stef announces from the landing that they've all slept in. Ali sighs as she sits up and swings her legs out from under the covers, feeling the fluffy rug beneath her feet.

She slowly trudges into the bathroom to find her brothers already cleaning their teeth.

"We might just have time for breakfast if you're all quick," Lena announces as she runs downstairs.

* * *

Lena practically throws them out of the car when they finally make it to Anchor Beach. All four kids stand silently and watch as Lena speeds by them towards her office.

"She's late for a meeting with Monte." Mariana informs them before stepping forward, "Ali come on, we're going to be late for Algebra."

The rest of the day was as crazy as her wake up call. Ali moved from class to class in a daze, the teachers initially ignoring her glazed over expression until she slipped up and made a mistake in chemistry causing her to drop an entire rack of test tubes.

"Sorry Miss." Ali apologises as she bends down to brush up the glass, "I don't know what happened."

"We've got a butter-fingers here today class." The sub announces, unaware of Ali's past. Her class, however, are all too aware and only give a small awkward chuckle.

When the final bell of the day rings out Ali almost runs from the classroom, knocking a few freshman out of the way by accident. She climbs the stairs that lead out onto the rooftop courtyard where her locker is but pauses when she notices Rachel standing in front of it.

Slowly Ali walks towards her, automatically smiling as she meets Rachel's gaze.

"Hi," Rachel says, smiling back. She steps back and leans her shoulder against the locker beside Ali's.

"Hi." Ali laughs nervously. She opens her locker door, pulls her soccer bag out and closes it gently.

They both laugh causing a senior boy to give them a weird look. He closes the rooftop door behind him, leaving them alone.

"I wanted to make sure we're okay…that you're okay." Rachel spoke quietly, tilting her head slightly as she looked down to Ali.

"Why would anything be wrong?" Ali asks, moving closer to Rachel and taking her hand. Both glance down to watch their fingers intertwine.

"I kissed you." Rachel whispers. Ali gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, you pecked the side of my head." Ali jokes trying to lighten the mood, "Rach I don't know what this is or if it is anything at all…but I like it so far."

Rachel's eyes begin to glisten, tears threatening to overflow. Ali gently pulls her into a hug, not caring if anyone sees.

"I'm so glad you said that cause I like it so far too." Rachel whispers so only Ali is able to hear. Their bodies press against one another as the hug tightens.

When they pull apart a few moments later, Ali gently wipes a few stray tears from Rachel's cheek.

"So I heard you're having a party." Ali pokes at Rachel's ribs, teasing her.

"Really?" Rachel pretends to be unaware of such news.

"Yea, Mariana was telling me in Algebra. I hear it's going to be quite the event." Ali turns to pick up her bags, "Is my invite lost in the mail?"

"I didn't mail you an invite," Rachel laughs when Ali turns to her with a mock look of shock, "I decided to invite you in person. So will you come?"

"Of course." Ali reaches out to accept Rachel's outstretched hand, "Though we have more pressing matters. We're 15 minutes late to practice."

* * *

Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence!" Coach Masters yells out across the soccer field as Ali and Rachel run out from the changing room.

"We're so sorry coach." Rachel begins to apologise but stops when Coach Masters raises his hand to silence her.

"Apologies aren't going to replace missed practice time, ladies." Coach Masters begins to grin as he glances between the two girls, "But I think 5 extra laps of the pitch will make up the difference."

Twenty minutes later, Rachel and Ali collapse down onto a bench at the side of the pitch as Coach Master's begins to explain a new defence strategy.

"So how are our two time-wasters doing?" He asks rhetorically, turning around to watch both girls gulp down water as they try to bring down their heart rates.

"Not too well it seems." Jess jokes, winking at Ali who sticks her tongue out in reply, making everyone laugh.

* * *

Ali steps out from behind the shower curtain and grabs the towel dangling by her personalised hook. She runs her fingers over the blue stickers that spell out her name on the plaque below, smiling to herself.

Banging at the door draws her out from her memories.

"Alright! Alright!" Ali yells, tossing on her pyjamas and grabbing her hairbrush. She walks over and unlocks the door.

"I thought you'd be more wrinkle." Jesus jokes, a smile creeping out from his frowned expression, "Since you've been in there that long." He laughs, pushing Ali gently from the bathroom before closing the door in her face.

Sighing, Ali walks into her bedroom and collapses down onto her bed. Her legs still burn from all the running at practice today.

 _15 laps!_ Ali thinks, shaking her head and sitting up to rub her legs. Something moves in the corner of her eye, catching her attention.

"Hey, love." Stef speaks quietly, "Sore legs?" She points to Ali's oddly tanned legs - shin guards leave weird tan lines.

"Yea I was late to practice. Had to run laps as my punishment." Ali shrugs, crossing her legs beneath her.

Stef laughs, "Never thought of that one."

The room falls into a comfortable silence as Ali turns to face Stef.

"Mom?" Ali asks with a whisper, glancing down to her bracelet and running the rainbow pattern through her fingers.

"Yes, love?" Stef places a few lose hairs behind Ali's ear.

"Do you know where I used to live, like the address?" Ali's eyes narrow onto a bare thread in the woven bracelet.

"I'm sure we have it written down somewhere." Stef gulps to try and swallow her nerves, "Why?"

"I just don't like having gaps," Ali says matter-of-factly.

Stef wraps her arms around Ali and pulls her back into the pillows behind them. Ali snuggles into Stef's side and takes a deep breath. Stef mindlessly plays with Ali's slightly damp hair as Ali drifts off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Stef's eyes flutter open as a single beam of sunlight enters the bedroom through the gap in the curtains. Sighing to herself, she quietly pulls back the covers and swings her legs out of the bed. Whilst running her feet through the rug she hears sheets rustling behind her, stopping only when a soft kiss lands on her cheek.

"Someone's up early." Lena whispers, kissing Stef again with a small grin. The grin quickly disappears when Stef slightly tenses at her touch, "What's wrong?"

"Ali asked for her old address last night." Stef finally admits to Lena, turning slightly to face her, "I said I'd find it for her."

"She's only curious, Stef. It's a natural step in her development." Lena speaks softly, rubbing Stef's arm.

"I just don't want her to get hurt. Dragging up her past isn't going to do anybody any good." Stef leans back into Lena, allowing herself to relax slightly.

"We'll be there if she needs us." Lena takes a deep breath, placing a soft kiss on the top of Stef's head, "Ali knows that."

"I just hope she remembers." Stef whispers, closing her eyes briefly.

* * *

"Ali love, can you come in here please?" Stef calls from the kitchen when she hears the front door close.

"Yea mom?" Ali asks, making her way through the house and pausing at the kitchen doorway.

Stef and Lena look up to find not just Ali but Rachel, standing behind her, unsure of what she's just walked into.

"Sorry, Rachel I forgot you were coming over today." Stef politely acknowledges her before continuing, "We need to talk to Ali about something."

"Why don't you head upstairs. This won't take too long." Lena interrupts her wife, smiling towards Rachel.

"Yea sure." Rachel nods before turning back to the stairs, "I'll see you up there." She says to Ali who smiles back before leaving Ali alone with her moms.

"Is something wrong?" Ali asks quietly as she turns to face them after watching Rachel head upstairs.

"No honey. It's about our talk last night - you wanted to know your old address." Stef speaks calmly, her voice almost monotone, as she motions for Ali to sit between them at the table.

Ali quickly sits down, her heart racing.

"I've written it down here along with the name of your old school." Lena gently passes the folded piece of paper to Ali who picks it up, the page shaking in her hands.

"You don't have to read it now or even at all, okay?" Stef wraps an arm around Ali's back. Ali looks up to her, confused.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't I want to know?" Ali asks, slightly defensive.

"That's not want I meant, love." Stef shakes her head, "It's just that those words, that address, they mean a lot to you."

"Sorry." Ali whispers, leaning into Stef's side, "I guess I just wanted to know that I could know." Ali pauses before moving away from Stef, "Can I go to my room?"

Both of her moms nod as Ali slowly pushes off her stool and steps away from them. They watch as their daughter silently walks away from them, one hand clutching onto the piece of paper for dear life.

* * *

Upstairs in Ali and Mariana's room, Rachel is rummaging in her school bag for the chemistry report from today but can't find it.

 _Ali must have taken it by mistake,_ Rachel thinks, picking up Ali's backpack from the floor, having brought it up with her.

Just as she triumphantly pulls out the slightly crumpled booklet from the depths of Ali's bag, she hears the door close with a small thud.

"God, could that have been more awkward?" Rachel laughs as she begins to dig around for a pen.

When there's no response, Rachel turns to face Ali. She practically jumps to her feet as Ali's shoulders begin to shake, her cheeks already wet with tear tracks.

"Hey what's wrong?" Rachel whispers, moving to wrap her arms around Ali, "Has something happened?"

Ali tries to speak but nothing coherent comes out, only hiccups and shaky breaths. She wraps her own arms around Rachel's waist, letting her head rest on her shoulder.

"Shhh…It's okay. I've got you." Rachel mumbles into Ali's hair as she guides them over to the bed. Ali drops herself down onto the mattress, pulling Rachel with her.

After a few minutes, Rachel breathes a sigh of relief as Ali's breathing begins to even out and a comfortable silence falls between them.

* * *

"Do you think she's alright?" Lena asks, passing Stef a cup of coffee before taking a sip of her own.

"She could've taken it better but it could've gone a lot worse," Stef mumbles into her mug, thinking over the past thirty minutes.

"But they're so quiet." Lena points upstairs, "Those two could start a riot in a graveyard." She laughs slightly, shaking her head.

"They're probably just doing homework." Stef wafts her hand through the air, dismissing Lena's concerns. Everyone had noticed how Ali

"I still think we should check." Lena places her mug down onto the table, before tugging Stef from her own stool.

Both women quietly head upstairs, ears straining to hear either of the girls talking. When they don't hear anything, Stef gently pushes open Ali's bedroom door to find Ali and Rachel lying on top of her bed - Ali wrapped in Rachel's arms.

"She's been crying," Lena whispers over Stef's shoulder, taking Stef's hand in hers.

Stef pulls the door shut and both women walk across the landing and into their room.

"Okay, so maybe she didn't take that as well as we thought." Stef whispers, pulling Lena into a warm embrace.

* * *

Rachel glances down to Ali sleeping soundly in her arms, nestled into her side. She lets out a breath she didn't even realise she was holding in just as Ali begins to wake up.

"Hey, I'm right here," Rachel whispers, holding her close as she feels Ali tense beside her.

Ali opens her slightly swollen eyes, a clear giveaway she'd been crying, and looks up to Rachel, slightly confused. She smiles slightly, allowing herself to relax in Rachel's arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm not usually like this." Ali whispers, wiping away the last few tears.

"You've nothing to be sorry for." Rachel shakes her head and sits up against the headboard, motioning for Ali to join her, "I get that being strong is your thing and I'm sure you have your reasons but you don't have to be like that with me."

Ali turns to find the folded piece of paper, that had started all of this, sitting on her table. She reaches out and picks it up by the corner before turning to hand it to Rachel.

"What's this?" Rachel looks down to the page, not daring to open it yet.

"It's the address of my old home - the one that burnt down - and my old school," Ali states matter-of-factly, all of her emotions spent for the night.

"Is this why you were upset earlier?" Rachel asks, taking Ali's hand in hers. Ali just nods, "Can I open it?"

"Yea." Ali sighs before crossing her legs and sitting up straighter as if preparing for the worst.

Rachel calmly opens the page and looks down to find two lines of neat handwriting.

 _6513 Welmer Dr, San Diego, University City_

 _Pearson Elementary School_

Ali leans over and finally reads the piece of paper. Her eyes widen as she takes in this information, neither of them sure how it's going to affect her.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hey Lena, where's the camera?" Stef yells through to the kitchen, a big smile plastered on her face.

"Mom, please! You promised." Ali whines behind her, shaking her head and looking over to Lena.

"Hey, this is your first proper party and I want to document that." Stef calmly replies, eyeing the camera on the kitchen counter and picking it up.

"But you're embarrassing me," Ali speaks quietly, not really wanting to hurt her mom's feelings.

"It's our job to embarrass you. We're your moms." Lena laughs before looking past Ali to watch Brandon, Jesus and Mariana line up behind her.

"Well don't you lot scrub up well!" Lena moves over to straighten Jesus' shirt collar, "Now let's just get a couple of snaps at the front door."

"Mama, no one says snaps anymore," Mariana exclaims with a smirk.

The Adams Foster kids pose impatiently as Stef takes their picture, with Lena beaming behind her. Even though they were 16, 17 and 18, all three were still her babies.

"Can we go now?" Brandon almost pleads, one hand already on the doorknob behind him. Stef nods silently, signalling for him and his siblings to scramble out of the house and into the car, with Brandon taking the driver's seat. They quickly make their way over to Rachel's house, already running late.

* * *

Brandon pulls up on the curb, the gravel driveway already full of cars that they recognised from school. As each of them exit the car they look around the well-manicured garden and then head towards a medium-sized house, similar to their own.

Ali nervously plays with a loose thread in her white checked shirt, suddenly realising that she'd never actually been inside Rachel's house. The closest she'd ever gotten was waiting in the car in the driveway.

"Hey, you finally made it!" Rachel has to yell slightly over the music from inside as she opens the front door, smiling widely as her eyes meet Ali's, who is standing behind her siblings.

"Yea, sorry we're late. Someone's developing a habit of it." Mariana turns slightly to face her sister with a smirk.

"Hey, I'm not the one who changed three times." Ali pokes Mariana playfully in the side, laughing as she moves past them and into the house. Rachel invites the others in and then quickly walks after her.

Brandon joins his group of music friends, hovering over an old record player in the front room. Mariana and Jesus also find their own groups but each grabs a red cup of drink when Brandon has his back to them.

As the night progresses, Ali dances happily with every member of the soccer team but somehow always manages to get back to Rachel. The initial shyness of being with each other in front of so many people dissipates a little more with every sip. The room begins to mellow as the music changes, causing the makeshift dance floor in the front room to slowly empty out.

Just as Ali settles down onto the sofa with Rachel resting her arm around her, Jess pokes her head round the archway.

"Hey, you guys! We're starting a game of 'Truth or Dare' outside." If you want to play, come on!" Jess speaks a little too loudly, her hands moving wildly as she motions for them to join her.

Rachel stands up and practically drags Ali behind her. Outside, they find around ten or so high schoolers sitting in a circle with an empty beer bottle in the middle. Ali looks around and is slightly relieved to not see any of her siblings as her and Rachel settle down onto the decking, leaning back slightly into the bench behind them.

"I'm a bit cold," Rachel whispers quietly after a couple of rounds, goose bumps clearly raised on her bare legs, _Maybe shorts weren't such a smart idea, after all_ , she thinks.

Ali reaches back to the bench and pulls down the neatly folded blanket, bringing it to wrap loosely around herself and Rachel.

"Here…this is better." Ali says as Rachel edges slightly closer to her side, "Though you have realised that it's still February." Ali jokes, relaxing back.

"Right Rachel it's your go." Michael turns to face her as the bottleneck points to her feet. His neck muscles thick from a childhood of wrestling, "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Rachel says confidently, the drinks are beginning to take effect.

Michael grins slightly having watched Rachel and Ali steal not so subtle glances throughout the game. Their behaviour over the last six weeks hasn't gone unnoticed by the other members of the soccer team either.

"I dare you to kiss the person on your right on the lips," Michael states matter-of-factly but the corners of his mouth give him away as they turn up slightly.

A hush falls over the small group as Rachel looks over to Ali, blushing slightly as they make eye contact. Ali squeezes her hand slightly under the blanket, letting her know that it's okay. Rachel leans forward to close the gap between them and places a quick, soft kiss on Ali's lips. As they both part a round of applause and a few wolf whistles fill the air causing both of them to laugh.

Unknown to Ali, the sudden silence outside had caused Mariana to go out and see what had caused it. She stood in the doorway with a clear view to the group. She watched her sister kiss Rachel and then quickly hurried back inside, not wanting Ali to spot her.

* * *

As it approaches 2am, the house is almost empty with just a few stragglers left. Ali and Rachel find themselves in the front room, the electric fireplace filling the room with a light glow. Rachel

scoots even closer beneath the blanket, her side pressing into Ali's. Ali slips her arm around Rachel's waist, delighted at the softness of the skin under her fingers.

"Oh come on, get a room you two!" Jess says as she walks in to say goodnight. They both just shake their heads, neither moving away from the other.

When they hear the front door close, Rachel leans down and rests her head on Ali's shoulder.

"That just leaves us, the twins and Brandon and his music buddies." Rachel speaks quietly, running her fingers up and down the ridges of Ali's left hand, "If all the soccer ones knew about us do you think your siblings do?" She whispers after a few moments of silence.

"I don't think so." Ali whispers back, "You know I don't have a problem with how I feel about you. And just so you know…I really like you." She turns slightly to face Rachel, wanting to gauge her reaction.

"I…really like you too, Ali. A whole hell of a lot actually." Rachel says nervously. Smiles break across both of their faces as Ali reaches out and strokes her cheek.

* * *

Ali groans as she feels the sunlight on her face, _It can't be morning already_ , she thinks. She lies there contemplating whether to force herself up before finally throwing back the covers and shuffling into the bathroom.

"Looking good Ali," she says to herself as she leans into the mirror to see last night's makeup smeared across her face. She reaches up to grab her facewash and almost gags, "Ew I stink."

Locking the bathroom doors, Ali decides to shower before breakfast hoping that the pounding in her head will subdue slightly with the steam.

* * *

"Look who decided to join us." Stef laughs as Ali shuffles into the kitchen, somehow even her legs hurt, "Although at least you had the decency to shower first."

Ali glances at each of her siblings in turn as she makes her way around the table, the smell of cooked breakfast making her stomach growl. Jesus didn't look any worse than his usual morning state except for only having one sock on. Mariana barely met her gaze which Ali thinks is a bit strange but puts it down to trying to hide a hangover. Brandon was the only normal one having been the designated driver, clearly evident by the bacon he was stuffing into his mouth.

"So is no one going to tell us how last night was?" Stef asks, looking around the table.

"It was fun." Brandon pipes up.

"Oh, of course you'd say that." Jesus turns to his moms, "All he did was stick with his music friends all night and geek out over a record player."

"Hey, it was vintage. And Rachel had some classic vinyl." Brandon mutters in response. Rachel's name makes Ali blush slightly, catching the attention of Lena.

"And what did you do at this party?" Lena asks, taking a sip of her coffee.

"A bit of dancing and then we played Truth or Dare outside." Ali looks up to Lena with a smile, the redness starting to fade from her cheeks.

"And did you play too, Miss Thing." Stef glances across to Mariana who hasn't said a word all morning.

"Em…no I was inside dancing with Lexi mostly." Marianamumbles, not meeting her gaze.

* * *

After breakfast, all the kids head upstairs under the guise of doing homework but in reality, it's to get more shut-eye.

As their brothers' bedroom doors close shut, Ali gets up to do the same but stops when she sees that Mariana is awake still.

"Hey, do you have one hell of a hangover or is something else wrong because you've been acting weird all morning?" Ali moves to sit on the end of Mariana's bed as Mariana sits up and pulls the duvet up over her shoulders.

"I saw you kiss Rachel last night." Mariana looks down to the bedding, her eyes following its zigzag pattern.

"It was just a dare." Ali stands up, not wanting to have this conversation yet.

"Don't lie to me." Mariana finally looks up to her, "I thought I was your best friend."

"Hey, you are." Ali almost pleads, sitting back down, "I'm sorry, I didn't know how to tell you."

"Ali I don't have a problem with it. How could I? We have two moms!" Mariana raises her voice slightly but notices Ali wince, "Sorry I shouldn't have yelled. I just wish you'd told me sooner. I mean I knew something was going on but…"

"Wait, you knew?" Ali's jaw drops open, "Does everyone know?"

* * *

Lena carries a full laundry basket up the stairs and makes it to the middle of the landing before placing it on the ground, _I hate washing these soccer kits_ , she thinks before bending down to pick up the heavy load again. As her hands grip the handles, her daughter's raised voice catches her attention.

She lets go and silently walks over to her daughters' bedroom door, _I shouldn't be doing this_ , she thinks and almost turns when Mariana starts to talk again.

* * *

"That you like Rachel? Of course, everyone knows Ali, we don't go to a school for the blind." Mariana laughs slightly at her own joke and watches as a smile forms on Ali's lips.

"I don't just like her, Mariana…I think I love her." Ali almost whispers, her smile spreading into her eyes, causing little wrinkles to form there.

* * *

It's now Lena's jaw that hangs wide open, shock rooting her to the spot. Only when she hears shuffling on the other side of the door does she move back, pick up the basket and make her way into her own bedroom.


	9. Chapter 9

The sun still hasn't risen fully when Ali makes the now memorized trek to school the next morning, her mind racing with what she'd said last night.

 _Mariana knows…Everyone knows_ , she thinks causing her heart rate to triple. She gives herself a gentle shake and picks up her pace, not wanting to be late to practice again.

"Mom, have you seen my sheet music?" Brandan yells from the top of the stairs.

The panic in his voice makes Stef restrain herself from yelling back 'don't yell'. Instead, she calmly rises from her stool in the kitchen and makes her way upstairs.

"Isn't it in your room, B?" Stef smiles slightly at the image in front of her – Brandon has his back to her, his ruffled hair and wrinkled clothes evidence of his only thoughts these past few days being about his music recital.

"No, I've looked everywhere," Brandon turns to face his mom before glancing at his watch, "And now I'm going to be late!" He runs his hands through his hair, making it somehow even messier.

"Go and grab some breakfast." Stef places a hand on her son's shoulder, "I'll look for your music."

"Mom, I don't have time to eat. I've got to walk today." Brandon sighs dramatically as if Stef's just said the stupidest thing in the world.

"I'll drive you." Stef gently squeezes his shoulder, "And maybe you could brush your hair." She adds, ruffling it even more as Brandon leaves his room.

Brandon hasn't even poured milk into his cereal when Stef enters the kitchen triumphantly, walks over to the table and slides a wad of music sheets towards him.

"How do you that? I looked everywhere!" Brandon shakes his head in disbelief.

"It's a mom thing." Stef winks, laughing as Lena hands her a fresh cup of coffee, "B, they were under that mountain of washing you're building up there. When the recital is over you'll be doing some spring cleaning."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at school, a grueling two-hour practice is finally over and Ali has never been more grateful for a hot shower to ease her burning muscles.

"I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't feel my legs." Jess pipes up from the cubicle beside her.

"I'm jealous. My legs are on fire." Rachel replies, on Ali's other side, "Who decided we should add beach training to our regime?"

"Satan, or as he prefers to be called, Coach Masters." Jess laughs at her own joke, the tiled walls causing it to echo throughout the changing room.

Ali laughs too, turning off the water and grabbing a towel before walking over to her locker. Jess and Rachel aren't far behind her, whispering about Anchor Beach's latest gossip. Usually, Ali would be the first to add her own two cents but today she keeps quiet, just like she has all morning.

When the last team member closes the locker room door behind them, Rachel takes a seat beside Ali and waits for her to finish packing her bag.

"Are you alright?" Rachel whispers, placing a hand on Ali's knee. The contact brings Ali out of her thoughts with a slight jolt, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Rachel begins to withdraw her hand but Ali quickly reaches out and stops her, intertwining their fingers together.

"You didn't. I was just thinking." Ali whispers, still refusing to make eye contact. She prays that Rachel will say something but she doesn't. She knows her too well by now. Ali takes a deep breath and continues, "Mariana told me she saw us kiss."

"Wait…what?" Rachel stutters, her heart rate quickening, "What did she say?"

"She was more annoyed that I didn't tell her ages ago about you rather than having a gay sister," Ali says it so nonchalantly that her exact words don't immediately register but as they do her eyes widen – _I've never said that out loud_ , she thinks.

Rachel seems to sense her anxiety and pulls her close. They stay like that until the locker room door opens causing them to slowly move apart.

"Are you planning on joining the rest of the world today?" Jess smirks, hands on her hips.

Ali glances to her watch and jumps to her feet, "Oh god, I'm late for algebra."

* * *

That afternoon, Ali is sitting in English with the twins on either side of her scribbling down notes from Mr. Timothy while she just stares down at the blank page in front of her.

 _I'm gay_ , Ali thinks, feeling her chest tighten slightly, _and everyone knows about it. Well, not everyone_.

Suddenly it dawns on Ali that the two most important people in her life – her moms – are going to have to be told, and she's going to have to do it.

The car ride home is filled with the usual bickering over seats, everyone talking over each other to be heard after Lena asked how school was.

"Woah, one at a time, please. There's no rush." Lena smiles slightly, grateful that her four teenagers still want to involve her in their lives, "Ali why don't you go first. It feels like I haven't seen you all day."

"That's because she left at the crack of dawn. You woke me up again by the way." Mariana butts in, before noticing her mom's glare in the rear-view mirror and leaning back into her seat.

"Sorry." Ali apologizes continuing, "We did sand runs for practice today so that grueling but everything else was good."

Lena turns to look at her daughter and smiles before starting the car and beginning to drive home. Ali falls back into an uncomfortable silence as the other occupants of the car begin to speak, trying to come up with a plan for how to tell her news.

* * *

As Ali finished drying the last dishes of tonight's dinner, she turns to find that the rest of her siblings have gone upstairs probably under the guise of doing homework. Ali begins to fold the dishcloth back up as Stef carries over two cups of tea to the cozy nook at the back of the kitchen – it had always been Ali's favorite place ever since she'd joined the Adams Fosters.

 _Now or never_ , Ali thinks as she takes a deep breath and puts down the towel.

"Moms are you busy?" Ali asks as calmly as possible, not wanting to panic them.

Lena looks up from the book she's reading, "For you sweetheart, never." Lena takes a better look at her daughter and notices the nervous smile and fingers playing with a loose thread on her t-shirt, "Come and sit." Lena pats the space between herself and Stef and Ali slowly makes her way over.

"Is something wrong?" Stef asks, putting down her mug.

"No nothing's wrong." Ali blurts out, "I'm kind of seeing someone and I wanted to let you know." Ali wrings her hands in her lap, always needing to keep moving when she's nervous.

"Okay." Lena reaches out and takes one of Ali's hands in her own, "And who is this lucky person?"

"Em…well…it's Rachel." Ali tenses in between her moms, trying to suppress a sudden urge to run.

"Rachel Beckett?" Stef asks causing Ali to nod silently, "Well she seems like a very nice girl." Stef wraps an arm around Ali and waits for her to relax. When she does, Ali falls into her side, her eyes beginning to glisten.

"So, you don't mind?" Ali whispers, her bottom lip trembling more with every word.

"Oh, darling how could we mind?" Lena smiles, remembering her own 'coming out' and that being her mean fear, "We love you, Ali. I don't care who you love as long as you're safe and they love you too."

"I do love her, mama." Ali's voice breaks as she finally gives into the tears that have been threatening to overflow. Lena and Stef instinctively close the gap between themselves and their daughter, all three clinging onto each other for dear life.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The following day begins like every other and Ali finds herself laughing at the monotony. So much in her life has changed in just a couple of days and yet her routine remains the same. As she climbs the stairs up to her locker after class, she ignores the array of glances coming her way – some brief and subtle; others intense and drawn out.

Ali is surprised when someone grabs her hand. She looks down to find fingers linking her hand and another together. Then she looks up to find Rachel gazing down at her, dark circles beneath her swollen eyes, paired with a forced smile. Ali brushes her thumb lightly back and forth across Rachel's knuckles as she leads them towards her locker.

"Hey," Ali whispers, nudging Rachel slightly as she leans against the metal door, "I don't want to sound like one of those really naggy girlfriends but…" Ali's eyes widen slightly as she realizes the word she's just used but decides to ignore it, "I can tell something's up."

Rachel sighs and allows her eyes to close briefly before nodding. Ali remains silent, not wanting to pressure her into saying anything.

"I overheard my mom talking to one of her friends last night," Rachel whispers so softly that Ali has to lean in slightly to hear her as she explains what happened.

 _"_ _I tell you, Janet, they're practically teaching it in lessons over here now," Jennifer speaks into the phone with a hushed voice._

 _"_ _You can't be serious?" A shocked voice replies._

 _"_ _No really, even the vice-principal is a lesbian." Jennifer replies, shaking her head, "If it wasn't the best school in the area I'd have pulled Rachel out weeks ago."_

 _"_ _Oh, my…I have to admit I was shocked to hear the news the other month." Janet mumbles on the other end, careful not to be overheard on the base._

 _"_ _Me too, it's unnatural." Jennifer's voice rises slightly, her anger starting to surface, "I've always said to Rachel that marriage is between a man and a woman. And that's final."_

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Ali whispers, cupping Rachel's cheek gently despite her blood beginning to boil at the thought of someone even thinking those words.

"How is it?" Rachel asks, staring into Ali's eyes, "Mom's going to hate me." She mumbles, allowing herself to finally fall into Ali's arms completely.

"Mine don't," Ali announces after a few moments of silence. Rachel slowly pulls back from her, confused, "I told them after dinner last night. Though come to think of it, they weren't too surprised." She jokes in an effort to diffuse some of the tension and is slightly relieved to watch the corners of Rachel's mouth curve up.

A beat passes between the two of them before Rachel steps towards Ali and closes the gap again. They hold onto one another tightly, neither wanting to let go.

"We should get going if we want to catch the bus," Rachel mumbles into Ali's shoulder.

"What?" Ali mutters.

"You wanted to go see your old home, remember?" Rachel pulls back slightly to gauge Ali's expression. She watches as the memory comes back to Ali of them planning the trip last week, "Come on then, slow coach. Let's get going!" Rachel moves away from her and holds back her hand as she leans down to pick up her bag. Ali accepts the invitation and links their fingers together before allowing herself to be dragged towards the bus stop.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ali's moms were having their own debrief on last night's events in Lena's office.

"So…our daughter's gay." Lena simply states as she walks over and settles down on the couch in her office, handing a mug of coffee to Stef as she joins her.

"I just didn't see this coming. Don't get me wrong, I don't care but still," Stef sighs as she reclines into the soft cushion behind her.

"Well, I like to think that her being raised in an accepting home has something to do with that." Lena smiles slightly, taking a sip of her drink.

"I suppose we can't all get caught snuggling and then sent straight to see the priest." Stef jokes but Lena doesn't see the funny side, "Come on love, I'm trying to lighten the mood here." Stef reaches out and takes Lena's free hand in her own and gives it a gentle squeeze. "She's 17 and no matter what she decides to identify as, or if she even identifies as anything, we'll support her just like we would if it was any of the others."

"It's not that that I'm worried about." Lena looks up to meet Stef's gaze, fear filling her eyes, "Rachel's mother isn't known for her acceptance on such liberal issues." Lena uses her words carefully, trying to phrase it in her best vice-principal persona.

"She's homophobic?" Stef puts the question to her with typical bluntness that makes Lena wonder why she even bothers sometimes. Lena nods.

* * *

The bus pulls up beside a lay-by looking out over the ocean, the waves lightly lapping against the pale brick wall as the sun begins to set. They walk slowly into suburbia; the houses all uniform with perfectly cut front lawns. At the corner of this long road, they finally find the address they'd been looking for.

Tears prick in Ali's eyes as she casts her gaze over the now flattened piece of land, small pieces of brickwork the only remnants that a building ever existed here. Thankfully, the large trees she remembers from her early years still stand boldly in the grassland, providing some shade and privacy. Rachel reaches out and takes Ali's hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"You see that tree right there?" Ali asks, pointing to the tallest tree at the front of the plot of land. Rachel nods, "It used to have a rope swing. I fell off it once and broke my front tooth." Ali laughs slightly, turning to face Rachel, "See, still a bit chipped." She grins widely but the wobble of her lower lip gives her away.

Rachel guides her over to sit on the front stone wall. They remain huddled there for a while, sitting in silence as their surroundings gradually darken. Rachel's shivers pull Ali out of her daydream, her immediate instinct being to put her arm across her shoulders and pull her closer.

"My dad would've liked you," Rachel speaks with conviction. She knows her mom might never approve but she was a daddy's girl – anything that made her happy, made him overjoyed.

"I wish I could've met him." Ali smiles sadly, "My parents would've loved you. I remember my mom could make friends out of strangers in minutes."

"I guess we'll just have to live with the _would haves_ ," Rachel sighs and pulls away from Ali's side to look around at the empty land behind them, "I thought there'd be a new house here since it's been so long."

"My moms said that it's part of my inheritance when I turn 18." Ali explains, "Weird how that's next year. Feels like yesterday that I showed up on Lena and Stef's doorstep." Ali's chin drops down to meet her chest as she takes a deep breath.

Seeing this, Rachel reaches out and tilts Ali's face so that their eyes meet. She gently wipes away a single tear threatening to fall down her cheek. Rachel smiles slightly, nervously biting her lower lip. Both lean in simultaneously, lips meeting softly at first. After a while, both pull away slowly to create a small gap between them.

"I think you're the best thing that's happened to me." Rachel whispers, nervously biting her lip again; a habit Ali had picked up on not long after they first met, "I think…I know…I love you." Rachel quickly darts her eyes towards the tarmac at their feet.

It's Ali who now tilts Rachel's chin up to her, "Hey, I love you too." They both giggle nervously as they make their way back to the bus stop, hand in hand.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Mariana finds herself jogging slightly towards the back door of the school in a vain attempt at catching up with her brothers.

"Guys! Come on, you said you'd wait for me!" Mariana calls after them, mentally noting that she needs to up her cardio for dance.

"Yea but not twenty minutes!" Jesus calls back, not even bothering to turn around, "Why do girls always take so long in the bathroom anyway?"

Before Mariana can even reply the door slams shut behind them, leaving her alone in the empty corridor.

"I could kill him," Mariana mutters under her breath, gritting her teeth as she speeds up. She doesn't want to miss kick off.

* * *

The humid air surrounds the pitch as Mariana finally walks up to her twin, digging her elbow into his side in revenge. Stef goes to intervene but stops when Jesus laughs and walks over to Brandon.

Today is the San Diego soccer final and all bets are on Anchor Beach to win by a landslide. This confidence in their team is causing the home supporters to go wild on the sidelines, which is a sea of homemade banners and signs. As the players of both teams make their way out of the changing rooms, the volume around them increases almost exponentially causing Lena to grimace slightly.

"Come on grandma," Stef half-yells into her wife's ear with a smug grin, "Let your hair down." Lena turns and says something inaudible as the marching band begins their pre-game entertainment.

"Right ladies, I want 110% from all of you out there today." Coach Masters faces the team with a wide grin across his rounded face, "And before you say anything, Jess, I know that in your math class that's impossible but not on that soccer pitch." This earns him a laugh from the girls. Jess, the resident math geek at Anchor Beach, goes to respond but thinks better of it – not wanting to start the game on the bench like last time.

As everyone busies themselves with shin guards and a final check of shoe-laces, Ali takes a seat beside Rachel on the bench.

"You'll be great out there." Ali smiles at the redness forming on Rachel's cheeks.

"No one will even remember me if you do your job and score." Rachel bumps shoulders with Ali playfully as they get up and walk towards the pitch.

"Hey, it's easy to score a goal. It's harder to prevent one." Ali begins to yell as they part and head to their starting positions.

* * *

The first half passes by uneventfully with neither team even getting close to their respective nets. An exhausted team almost collapse onto the side of the pitch at half-time, gulping down water eagerly as it's handed to them by fellow teammates.

"Now I know they're proving to be a better team than we'd anticipated," Coach Masters speaks with confidence, one hand balled into a fist while the other wipes sweat from his brow, "But I know that we can win this if we throw everything we've got at it."

The girls grumble in agreement, all heads nodding.

"We need to make a few changes though to keep them on their feet so," Coach Masters reaches for his clipboard and examines his notes. Everyone shuffles anxiously, no one wanting to come off in the final, "Alex you come on for Jess and Louise can take Rachel's place."

Alex and Louise jump up from the bench and begin to take off their bibs. Jess and Rachel slowly make their way over to the bench and sit down, finding the wood still warm from its previous occupiers. Ali smiles weakly over to them as she jogs back onto the pitch with a roar from the crowd.

* * *

As the game moves into its final ten minutes, Ali receives the ball and makes a bee-line down the left-hand side, distinctly hearing her moms as she approaches the net. Glancing across she finds Alex who has broken free of her defender and quickly crosses the ball to her. Alex intercepts the ball and slots it into the back of the net, securing Anchor Beach the first goal of the match.

Everyone is on their feet, jumping up and down while Ali runs towards Alex and pulls her into a huge hug. As she releases her teammate, she looks over to where she heard her moms and finds her whole family grinning back at her.

The referee blows his whistle, putting an end to their celebrations. As play continues, Anchor Beach retain their advantage and keep possession of the ball.

Alex glides almost effortlessly down the right-hand side, her confidence growing with every passing minute. Ali moves with her, careful to stay on-side. Alex fires the ball into the box. Ali jumps into the air intending to head the ball into the net, her eyes closing on impact. Suddenly, pain shoots through her temple, causing Ali to let out a scream as her body slams into the ground face first. Then everything goes black.

* * *

The crowd falls silent as the blood-curdling scream penetrates their ears. Rachel is on her feet, being held back by Jess as they straddle the white line. They watch helplessly as the on-call medic makes his way over to Ali's lifeless body and signals for the board.

The referee blows his whistle, calling a momentary pause in the game. Lena and Stef take a chance and run onto the field but no one dares to force them away.

"Come on Ali," Stef whispers as she kneels down beside her daughter, "Wake up. Please wake up."

Lena wraps her arm around Stef tightly, feeling a lump form in her own throat, her tears already threatening to overflow. Everyone watches as Ali is slowly moved onto the board and carried off the pitch, leaving a pool of bright red blood in her wake. They stop briefly as the ambulance door is swung open and the paramedics slide Ali inside with ease.

"Sorry, there's only room for one." The young paramedic says uneasily as Lena and Stef look towards one another.

"You go," Lena whispers, her voice finally making itself heard. Stef goes to argue but feels Lena applying pressure on her lower back, "I'll get the kids and we'll meet you at the hospital."

Lena watches the ambulance tears away from the parking lot, sirens blaring. She wipes away a few stray tears as she turns back towards the soccer pitch but something is blocking her way. Squinting slightly, her vision blared with tears, she finds Rachel shaking despite the baking afternoon sun.

"Oh honey," Lena opens her arms and motions for Rachel to join her, which she does on unsteady legs. They cling to one another as they begin to walk forward, "Let's get you home."

Rachel's body stiffens at those words, "No, please, I can't leave her." She whispers through ragged breaths.

"Hey, you're ok. Breathe. Just Breathe." Lena soothes her, slightly dragging the younger girl to the car and breathing a sigh of relief herself when she finds her other three kids waiting anxiously for her.

"Mama, is she going to be alright?" Mariana whispers, clinging to Jesus' side – their petty fight earlier long forgotten about.

"Mom's gone with Ali to the hospital. We'll meet them there." Lena forces a small smile, not really fooling anyone but they go along with it, fully aware that she hasn't answered Mariana's question.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After a frantic drive to the hospital, Lena and her entourage enter the emergency room to find it completely deserted. She instructs the kids to take a seat and then makes her way to the receptionist behind the glass panel.

"My daughter was brought in earlier." Lena tries unsuccessfully to keep her voice steady, barely making eye contact with the young woman.

"Name, please." The receptionist asks calmly.

"Ali Adams Foster," Lena speaks quickly, just wanting to see her daughter.

"Just let me check," The woman clicks through the admissions on the computer, "There's an Alice Adams Foster?"

"Yes, sorry that's her." Lena exhales sharply, tapping her finger on the counter.

"Please take a seat and I'll have a doctor come out to get you." The woman points back to where the four teenagers are sitting anxiously. Lena nods and takes a seat at the end of the row beside Brandon.

* * *

Just as Lena rearranges her necklace for the millionth time, the white doors to the triage area open, causing all heads to jolt up. A tall doctor walks towards them, his scrubs slightly wrinkled.

"Mrs. Adams Foster?" He asks, outstretching his arm to shake her hand. Lena nods slowly, "I'm Dr. Nichols. If you'd like to follow me." Lena stands up but doesn't move.

Brandon reaches out and takes Lena's hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze – an act of comfort his moms had often done for him.

"Momma, we'll be okay here. Give Ali our love." Brandon smiles weakly as he meets Lena's watery gaze. After releasing his grip, Lena regains use of her legs and takes a few unsteady steps towards the door, trailing behind the doctor.

* * *

When the doctor pulls back the curtain Lena finds Stef, her top covered in dried blood, standing at Ali's bedside. Lena immediately moves forward and closes the gap between them by pulling her wife into her arms.

"She's still unconscious," Stef whispers into Lena's hair, tears now falling freely onto Lena's blouse.

Lena looks down to her daughter, an oxygen mask covering the lower half of her face and a large gash with dried blood covering the top half. Her right eye is badly swollen shut, a dark bruise already forming around her eye.

"Ali has a fractured eye socket." Dr. Nichols explains as the two women sink down into the plastic chairs provided.

"Shouldn't she have woken up by now?" Lena asks, meeting the doctor's gaze for the first time since they've met.

"Everyone is different but I have been informed of her previous head injury."Dr. Nichols picks up the chart hooked to the end of Ali's bed, "I'd like to get a CT scan just to err on the side of caution."

* * *

Back in the waiting room, Mariana paces up and down in front of them as Brandon tries to comfort Rachel, neither of them having much need to interact in the past.

"Mariana please, sit down, you're making me nervous." Jesus almost pleads with his sister. She pauses briefly in front of him, firing daggers at him.

"Well, I am nervous." Mariana folds her arms and falls into her seat in one swift movement.

"Come on guys, can't you call a cease fire for now." Brandon half-jokes trying to diffuse some of the tension in the room.

As time passes by, each of them falls silent – their only interest now is the white doors at the end of the hall. After the third false alarm, Rachel sits up and begins to swing her legs back and forth, nervously biting her lower lip.

"She's going to be okay, Rach." Mariana whispers.

"Yea, she may be small but she's deceptively tough," Brandon adds, wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders, easily slipping into his big brother role as Rachel relaxes into his side.

* * *

The small cubicle fills with noise as the machines attached to Ali all go off at varying frequencies causing the nurse to run in. Lena and Stef jump to their feet immediately, eyes frantically looking for the source of the problem. Then they see it – Ali's left eye flutters open, the other twitches slightly but remains sealed shut.

As the nurse begins to reset the machines, both women move towards Ali slowly, making sure not to startle her.

"Hey, baby." Lena whispers, stroking Ali's soft brown hair, "I'm so happy you're awake." She uses her free hand to wipe away her tears as Stef wraps an arm around her waist.

"Oh, my love," Stef speaks softly as Ali's own tears begin to fall, "It's okay. We're right here. We've got you." She gently strokes Ali's lower arm, careful not to tangle up any wires.

"Where…Where am I?" Ali's speech is slightly slurred.

"You're in the hospital, sweetie," Lena answers her with a smile, knowing how much her daughter hates hospitals.

"Why?" Ali goes to move her head to try and meet her mom's gaze but a familiar shooting pain causes her body to stiffen.

"Try not to move, love." Stef takes her hand and begins to draw circles on her palm, "You had an accident at soccer. You knocked heads with the goalie."

"She's fine, though." Lena adds before laughing slightly, "And before you ask, yes you did win the match." She knows she's guessed correctly when Ali's body relaxes slightly.

As Ali slowly becomes fully conscious and is allowed to sit upright, a thought enters her mind causing her heart rate to jump up.

"Rach…Rachel, is she okay?" Ali speaks quickly, suddenly realizing that she must have watched the whole thing and then had to go home to her mom who wouldn't understand why she's so upset.

"Shhh, baby." Stef tries to soothe her daughter, "She's here. Do want me to see if she can come in?"

Ali goes to nod but stops herself, "Please mom." She whispers, her voice hoarse from the oxygen mask.

* * *

After a few minutes alone in the empty cubicle, the curtain is drawn back hesitantly and Rachel steps inside. A smile begins to form on both of their faces as their eyes meet. Rachel quickly walks over to the bed, gripping the guardrail so hard that her knuckles are turning white.

"Rach, it's alright." Ali whispers, placing her hand on top of Rachel's, "I know it must look bad but honestly I'm okay."

Rachel eases off her vice grip on the metal bar and leans down so that she is level with Ali. Their lips meet delicately; Rachel doesn't want to hurt her any more than she already is but she isn't expecting the taste of blood. Pulling back sharply to find its source – dried blood coating her upper lip.

"Sorry," Ali glances down to a loose thread on the hospital blanket, always one to fiddle when she's nervous.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Rachel moves over to the small sink and wets some paper towels, "Let me help you." She waits until Ali relaxes back into the pillow behind her and then begins to carefully wipe away any trace of blood from Ali's face and neck.

"How bad is it? Be honest with me, I can take it." Ali half-jokes, not sure if she actually can. She squirms slightly under Rachel's intense gaze as she checks over her injury.

"Honestly? I'd say you've dropped to 6." Rachel doesn't even attempt to hide her smirk as she watches Ali's brain catch up to what she's just said.

"Wait, out of 10?" Ali gasps, "What was I before?" She reaches out and takes Rachel's hand in hers again, wanting contact.

"A 7." Rachel almost chokes on her laugh as Ali pouts like a spoilt child, "Kidding." She can't stay serious when Ali gives her _that look_ , "You've always been a 10 to me."

Rachel bends down and kisses Ali again, with slightly less nervousness. She pulls back slowly, placing a stray hair behind Ali's ear.

"There, much better." She mumbles as Ali squeezes her hand.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The front door creaks loudly as a lanky arm pushes against it, allowing some natural light into the dark hall. She makes her way into the front room to find a familiar sight. Sighing, she pulls open the heavy curtains. A loud moan behind her lets her know that the sudden light has had the desired effect.

"Mom you're not going to believe this." Izzy whispers as she waves today's local newspaper through the air, "Guess who's made front page news."

Rose squints slightly towards her daughter. Izzy decides that today it's because of the light and not because her mom doesn't recognize her – like yesterday. She shakes her head, not wanting to dwell on the thought and takes a step towards her mom.

"Look, it's Ali." Izzy moves quickly to Rose's side and sits down on the sticky coffee table. The mention of Ali's name causes Rose to sit bolt upright, grabbing the paper roughly from Izzy's hands. Her jaw drops as she reads the headline.

'STAR PLAYER OUT COLD'

Rose's eyes scan down the page to latch onto the photo beneath. Her eyes narrow as she finds a picture of Ali in her soccer kit with her moms – as the paper states – on either side of her grinning proudly.

In an instant, the atmosphere changes. Rose turns sharply to face her daughter, flings the paper across the room and uses her now free hands to grab at Izzy's wrists. Her lips curl into a smirk, contrasting her suddenly soft eyes.

"Mom please, you're hurting me," Izzy whispers, knowing her plea will fall on deaf ears.

"You know I've always thought that Jack would've been a wonderful father for you." Rose releases her grip as she speaks, rises from the sofa and makes her way towards the door, "It's a pity I chose the wrong man."

Izzy remains rooted to the spot, her heart thumping against the inside of her chest. Only when she hears the door close with a bang, signaling that Rose has left to buy more alcohol, does she allow herself to sit down on the threadbare couch.

"But Jack was Ali's dad," Izzy speaks to herself, confusion written across her face.

* * *

The morning walk to school a week later is a quiet affair. Ali has had enough of the fussing even though it's been nice to have a few days in bed. A fractured eye socket she can deal with, six weeks without soccer will be something else.

"Hey," Mariana says as she quickens her pace to match Ali's, "You've been beaten up worse." She jokes, remembering the many soccer injuries her sister has picked up over the years.

However, Ali doesn't laugh but instead, she shoves her hands into her pockets and rushes ahead of them.

"Nice one," Brandon sighs, rolling his eyes towards Mariana. He goes to race after her but a voice behind them stops him.

"No, let me." Rachel smiles weakly at Brandon and the twins but notices their surprised faces, "My car wouldn't start this morning," She explains briefly before speeding up ahead of them.

"Hey, wait up!" Rachel calls to Ali as Anchor Beach comes into view. She breathes a sigh of relief when Ali slows down enough for Rachel to join her side. They walk a little further in silence until both stop short of the school parking lot, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but…what did Mariana mean?"

Ali glances to her shoes, watching as the sand blows over the tarmac with the morning wind. They stand slightly apart for a moment until Ali reaches out and gently pulls her towards the beach. She gestures for them to sit down at the first bench they come across, sheltered by a cluster of palm trees.

"When I was 9…" Ali whispers, her hands clasped tightly together, "Dennis – my godfather – he kidnapped me and shot Lena." Ali glances up to meet Rachel's gaze briefly. Rachel places a hand onto Ali's white knuckles and runs her thumb across them soothingly.

"He beat me."

* * *

Lena collapses into her chair and closes her eyes after a stressful morning meeting with Monte. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she leans back into the leather and allows the morning sunshine to warm her face through the office window.

After a few minutes, Lena opens her eyes slowly to find a notification flashing on her computer screen.

"Attendance is in then," Lena mutters and moves to open the notification, knowing that it's signaling absent students. Her stomach drops when she reads the only two names on the list – Rachel Beckett and Ali Adams Foster.

 _Please, why today?_ Lena thinks as she moves from behind her desk and walks towards the door.

* * *

Lena makes her way to Ali's first class of the day – algebra II – and knocks on the door before entering.

"Sorry, Mr. Garrett but can I speak to Mariana for just a minute?" Lena calmly smiles towards the slender man at the front of the room.

"Of course," Mr. Garrett nods before turning back to the equation on the board, not wanting to lose his train of thought.

Mariana quietly pushes out her chair and joins her mom in the empty corridor outside, closing the door behind her.

"When did you last see Ali or Rachel?" Lena asks, still hoping that their disappearance is just an administrative mistake. Mariana looks visibly uncomfortable under Lena's intense gaze. "Mariana, what happened?"

"Look, I didn't mean to upset her. I was just joking!" Mariana speaks quickly, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"Okay, okay. Just tell me what you said." Lena places an arm around her daughter to calm her down.

"I said she'd been beaten up worse." Mariana nearly whispers, shuffling her feet.

"Mariana…" Lena sighs before pausing. She looks down to Mariana who clearly didn't mean it in a malicious way, "Just tell me where she is."

"Well, you see I don't actually know that." Mariana shrugs her shoulders, "Would it put your mind at ease if I said they're probably together?"

"No Mariana, it doesn't." Lena shakes her head before pulling out her phone to let Monte know she'd be out of the office.

* * *

The bell rings out across Anchor Beach to signal the end of first period as Lena walks outside into the parking lot after searching the entire school. Squinting in the bright sun, holding a hand up to her forehead to block the light, she looks out over the school grounds. She breathes a sigh of relief when her eyes fall on Ali and Rachel walking hand in hand towards the chemistry building.

As they near the front door, Ali finally spots her mom looking back at her.

"So, what was first period, girls?" Lena asks when they finally reach her. Ali's mouth opens slightly to answer, "And before you reply I know it wasn't algebra or English."

Ali gulps loudly and lets's go of Rachel's hand, letting her own drop to her side. Rachel shuffles her feet and looks to the ground.

"Anyone care to explain?" Lena continues when both girls remain silent, crossing her arms as she speaks.

"It's my fault." Ali blurts out, taking a step towards Lena, "I took Rach to the beach."

"No, it's not." Rachel interrupts her, "You were upset. What was I going to do? Say no?" Rachel pauses, remembering Lena's presence, "Sorry we didn't realize the time until we heard the bell." Rachel's head drops back down slowly.

"Look, why don't you both go to class." Lena smiles slightly, trying to ease the tension, "We'll talk about this later."

* * *

The electric in the house hasn't worked for at least 2 months, plunging the space into darkness when the sun set for the night. Boxes are piled against all four walls, a narrow clearing allowing visitors access to the back of the room.

Izzy squeezes through, careful not to knock anything over and disturb her mom who passed out a couple of hours ago. She smiles nervously when she finds the box she's looking for – marked 'Records' in her mom's neat handwriting.

After lifting it down onto the floor, Izzy kneels beside it and slowly removes the lid. She rummages around for a few minutes until she finds the document. With shaky hands, she takes out her original birth certificate and brings it over to the window. The streetlight outside illuminates the crisp paper. Her eyes glide down the page until they freeze. With a gasp which her hand quickly muffles, she reads the words:

Father – Jack Highland


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Ali sweetheart, can you come in here a moment," Lena calls out to her daughter, mid-conversation with Stef when she hears the back door close and the now signature sound of soccer boots hitting the kitchen floor.

Ali takes a deep breath knowing that she hasn't yet been punished for skipping class this morning, and makes her way into the living room. Here she finds her moms snuggled closely on the couch – they'd been doing that a lot since her recent injury, trying to take and give comfort to one another simultaneously.

"Did I hear soccer boots hitting my clean floor again?" Stef pulls away slightly from Lena and positions herself so that she's facing Ali, shuffling uncomfortably in the doorway.

"I didn't get a chance to clean them after last week's match." Ali explains, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, "Don't worry, I cleaned them outside. I know you freaked out last time." She smirks slightly at the look of disgust on Lena's face.

"And with good reason," Lena laughs slightly, remembering her outburst, "There was mud in the bath for days."

"I remember. You had me scrubbing it for a week." Ali smiles as she finally steps into the room.

"As long as cleaning your boots was the only soccer-related activity you were doing." Stef smiles at Ali but the tone of her voice is authoritative – the one she reserves for warnings before going into full-blown telling-off.

"I know mom. 6 weeks of no soccer is bad enough without you having to remind me daily." Ali moans and begins to scrunch up her nose in disgust but the action has her wincing in pain.

"Honey come here." Lena opens her arms up and Ali readily accepts, moving towards the couch and into Lena's warm embrace. She leans the good side of her face against her mom's chest while Lena places a soft kiss in her hair, "You know we only keep reminding you because you'd be on that pitch in seconds." Lena jokes, a sad smile creeping onto her face.

Ali nods into the hug, "Sorry." She whispers so quietly that both women have to lean in to hear her as she continues, "I shouldn't have gone a-wall this morning."

"I'm not going to lie to you. You terrified me when I couldn't find you." Lena speaks in a hushed tone, careful to not overwhelm Ali, "But I get that you needed some space and I'm proud of you for realising that."

"Wait," Ali looks up to her mom, confusion knitting her eyebrows together, "You're not angry?"

"No, actually we're not." Stef places a hand gently onto Ali's lower back, "Don't get me wrong you'll be doing the dishes alone for the next week but I think no soccer is punishment enough, don't you?" Stef jokes, causing Lena and Ali to laugh.

* * *

The next day Ali finds herself enjoying a morning of no beach runs as she snuggles deeper under her covers. She can hear Mariana beginning to wake up – her distinctive rustling of sheets a give-away sign – and decides it's safe to get up without her sister moaning that she'd woken her as she apparently has done every morning for the last three years.

As Ali tip-toes towards the bathroom door, the rustling ceases and she prepares herself for Mariana's glare of death as she turns around. But instead, she finds her little sister, legs dangling off the edge of the bed and her head hanging in shame. Ali quickly moves to join Mariana on her bed.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ali whispers, not wanting to wake anyone else up.

"Am I okay?" Mariana half-laughs, still not meeting her gaze.

"Well, yeah that's kind of what I meant." Ali jokes, trying to ease the tension as usual, "Look, if this is about yesterday I know that you didn't mean what you said. I was having a bad day and overreacted."

"But I should've realised before I said it. I should have been more careful." Mariana speaks quickly, trying to get her point across, still not believing that Ali has forgiven her.

"Woah, slow down." Ali places an arm around Mariana and waits for her sister to relax into her side, "I don't want you to filter what you say in front of me, okay? No walking on eggshells…please."

The room falls silent and they stay huddled close together as they listen to the house come alive. Mariana is the first to break the silence.

"You should hurry up if you want a shower before Jesus claims the bathroom," Mariana speaks more confidently and it makes Ali's heart grow with pride at her sister beginning to act like herself again.

"Nah, we've got a few more minutes before he wakes." Ali looks at the clock on her desk, "He's only hit snooze three times."

* * *

"Brandon, the table's vibrating." Mariana snaps at her older brother as the family gathers around the table for breakfast.

"What?" Brandon suddenly becomes aware of many pairs of eyes on him, making his leg shake even more. Lena reaches across and gently places her hand on Brandon's knee to stop him.

"Hey, it's alright to be nervous, B." Lena smiles warmly, only removing her hand once Brandon has finally regained control of his lower limbs.

"I know." Brandon tries to brush off the comment but fails miserably – his glass shaking in his hand giving him away, "Look, alright I'm a _little_ nervous but that's normal, right?"

"Yes, sweetie." Lena nods.

"What time do we have to be ready for again?" Ali mumbles through a mouthful of toast.

"Don't speak while eating please," Lena sighs, shaking her head, "Around six should give us plenty of time to get to there. Oh, and before I forget, I've left your suit hung up on the bannister." She turns to make sure her eldest is paying attention.

* * *

A few hours later, Ali finds herself in her last class of the day – biology with Miss Wakefield, one of the nicest teachers at Anchor Beach. After the instructions for today's practical have been explained the classroom erupts with noise as everyone begins to work.

"You're still staying over tonight, right?" Ali asks as she turns on the Bunsen burner on her first attempt with a smug smile.

"Show off." Rachel laughs, placing the flame under the water-bath, "And of course I am. I've got my bag packed and all so no going back now."

"You know this will only be the third time I've met your mom," Ali says, her voice ending on a higher register than normal.

Noticing this, Rachel places a test tube into the now boiling water and turns to face her girlfriend, "Hey, she loves you." Rachel whispers, placing her hand in the small of Ali's back, grateful that they'd decided to move to the back of the lab which gave them a bit more privacy.

"Yea, Ali the best friend. I don't think she'd be too fond of Ali the girlfriend." She sighs in frustration, "I'm sorry. It's just that I hate lying about us."

"I know Al but I can't tell her…not yet anyway." Rachel takes a deep breath, glancing to check on their experiment, "That's one of the reasons I love staying at yours. I can just be me." Ali responds by finally relaxing into her side, instantly calming Rachel.

* * *

Ali opens her bedroom door to chaos. Who knew getting two adults and three teenagers dressed and out the door by six would be so difficult and clearly stressful for all involved – well, not including Ali or Jesus who've been ready since half five.

Finally, as six o'clock draws near, and Mariana has changed at least three times, the Adams Foster clan are man-handled into the car. Arriving at school not long after they immediately stumble upon a very pale Brandon dressed smartly in his black-tie.

"You look very handsome." Stef smiles proudly, smoothing down his shirt collar, "and you'll smash this recital."

"Thanks, mom." Brandon blushes as he wriggles out of her grasp, "I've got to go set up so I'll see you after."

Stef and Lena watch as Brandon walks back into the main hall, "It feels like yesterday I dropped him off at kindergarten and now he's doing his senior project. God, he'll be in college before we know it" Stef turns teary eyed to face Lena, who takes Stef's hands in her own and squeezes them gently before leading her inside, causing the three teens behind them to follow.


End file.
